In the Land of Difficult People: 24 Timeless Tales Reveal How to Tame Beasts at Work

Once upon a time, people wrote fables featuring untrustworthy ravens, wicked wolves, insincere monkeys, and power-hungry lions. Told repeatedly through generations and spread throughout the world, classic stories abound in which noble heroes and heroines matched wits with these typically treacherous beasts. But what's that you say? You feel as though you're surrounded by just these sorts of characters at work? Well, you're not alone.

Terrence Gargiulo on Taming Difficult People

From Tibet to Mexico to the Balkans, every culture has its own cherished folktales. While originally made up to reinforce morals and good behavior, these stories aren’t just for kids. Many fables featuring whimsical creatures and talking animals have much to teach grownups about handling slackers, connivers, ogres, and other dreaded real-life figures in our workplace.